Seal surface adapter for use with toilet flush valves

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprises a ring, a top portion, and a bottom portion. The apparatus further comprises a first leg and a second leg. In addition, the apparatus comprises a horizontal portion. The horizontal portion connects the first leg and the second leg. The legs and horizontal portion, together with an adhesive, overlay and sealingly engage the top rim of a flush valve wall, which is part of a toilet flush valve.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application No.62/464,698, filed on Feb. 28, 2017.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to indoor plumbing andgravity-operated flush toilets. More particularly, the present inventionrelates to flapper valves that are used in such toilets and to a sealsurface adapter that can be used on top of the seal surface of a flushvalve to improve the seal surface of the flush valve and the flapper. Italso relates to a seal surface adapter that can be used with a widevariety of flush valves of current manufacture.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional gravity-operated flush toilets have several basiccomponents. The porcelain or china components include a bowl and a watertank mount on top of a rear portion of the bowl. The bowl and tank canbe separate pieces bolted together to form a two-piece toilet. Othergravity-operated flush toilets are made as a one-piece toilet in whichthe bowl and tank are made as one continuous, integral piece of china.

More importantly, the plumbing components of a gravity-operated flushtoilet include a fill valve in the tank which is connected to a watersupply line, a flush valve surrounding a drain hole in the bottom of thetank that communicates with the bowl, and a flapper valve that normallycloses and seals the flush valve or, more precisely, the main flushvalve orifice.

Toilet flapper valves are typically formed as a single structure havinga rim for sealing the rim of the main flush valve orifice with theflapper valve rim following flushing. The flapper valve is often formedof a soft elastomeric material and is hinged to allow the valve to bepivotally moved upwardly and away from the main flush valve orifice bymeans of a chain that is connected to the flush handle on the outside ofthe tank. Once the tank empties, the flapper valve then returns to aposition where it seals the main flush valve orifice, the rim of softelastomeric material forming a sealing area about the rim of that mainflush valve orifice. A similar functionality is accomplished by use of atower or canister flush valve that has a dedicated float that sits abovea main seal. When the flush handle is rotated, the float is raised and aseal portion unseats vertically from the main seal.

In the experience of this inventor, the rim of the main flush valveorifice can become damaged or worn to the extent that the flapper failsto properly seat onto the rim of the main flush valve orifice, therebyfailing to form a sealing area about the rim of that main flush valveorifice. Obviously, such a seal failure ultimately results in theleakage of water from the toilet tank reservoir. Annular seals commonlyused in tower and canister flush valves have similar problems. To date,the only real solution to this particular problem was to replace thecomplete flush valve assembly. Though not particularly expensive to doso, swapping out the old flush valve assembly with a new one can be atime-consuming and messy task. It can also create other problems if thenew flush valve assembly is not properly installed.

Accordingly, this inventor believes that there is a need for a simplersolution or eliminating water leakage created by a damaged or worn rimof a main flush valve orifice and the rim of the flapper or tower valvethat rests upon it following flushing of the toilet. The seal surfaceadapter of the present invention fulfills that need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing, a primary objective of the device of thepresent invention is to provide a new, useful, and non-obvious sealsurface adapter that can be used to cover the rim of the main flushvalve orifice. The seal surface adapter can be applied or installedusing an adhesive disposed within the adapter. Once installed, theimproved device provides a leak-proof seat for the rim of the flapper ortower valve that is used in the toilet. Another objective of the deviceof the present invention is to provide a seal surface adapter structurethat lends itself to “self-centering” such that the adapter can be usedwith a wide variety of flush valve assemblies of current manufacture.

The foregoing and other features of the seal surface adapter of thepresent invention will be apparent from the detailed description thatfollows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet and of the toilet tank inparticular, which is the environment in which the seal surface adapterin accordance with the present invention is used.

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the seal surface adapter in accordance withthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a slightly enlarged front elevation view of the seal surfaceadapter shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front elevation and cross-sectioned view of the seal surfaceadapter taken along Line 4-4 of FIG. 2 and further showing an enlargedcross-sectional view of the seal surface adapter.

FIG. 5 includes multiple cross-sectioned elevational views of the sealsurface adapter as used in a first exemplary flapper style flush valve.

FIG. 6 includes multiple cross-sectioned elevational views of the sealsurface adapter as used in a second exemplary flapper style flush valve.

FIG. 7 includes multiple cross-sectioned side elevational views of theseal surface adapter as used in a third exemplary flapper style flushvalve.

FIG. 8 includes multiple cross-sectioned side elevational views of theseal surface adapter as used in a first exemplary flapper style flushvalve.

FIG. 9 includes two cross-sectioned side elevational views of the sealsurface adapter as used with a tower or canister style flush valve.

FIG. 10 is a bottom plan view of the seal surface adapter showing theapplication of a bead of adhesive to the channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein like-numbered elementsrefer to like elements throughout, FIGS. 2 through 4 illustrate thepreferred embodiment of a seal surface adapter, generally identified 10,that is constructed in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 1shows the environment within which the device 10 is used. Specifically,a gravity-operated flush toilet, generally identified 1, is provided andcomprises a bowl 2, a water tank 3 mounted on top of a rear portion ofthe bowl 2, and a water tank cover 4. Water from the tank 3 empties intothe bowl 2 when a flush level 5 is pushed downwardly. Disposed withinthe tank 3 is a flush valve assembly, generally identified 6. Theseelements are well-known in the art.

Referring again to FIGS. 2 through 4, it can be seen that the sealsurface adapter 10 is a ring-like structure comprising an innerperimeter 12 and an outer perimeter 14. The seal surface adapter 10further comprises a top portion 16 and a bottom portion 18. Movingupwardly from the bottom portion 18, the inner perimeter 12 is boundedby a first leg 22 and the outer perimeter 14 is bounded by a second leg24. The first leg 22 extends upwardly from the bottom portion 18 andextends at a slight angel away from vertical. The second leg 24 likewiseextends upwardly, but at somewhat more of an angle away from vertical.It should be noted also that the first leg 22 arches as it moves awayfrom the bottom portion 18 of the adapter 10, whereas the second leg 24is more linear as it moves away from the bottom portion 18 of theadapter 10.

The first leg 22 and the second leg 24 terminate at, and are integrallyconnected by, a horizontal portion 26 that spans between the legs 22,24. Extending upwardly from the top portion 16 of the adapter 10, andupwardly from the horizontal portion 26, is a ridge 28, which layswithin a flat plane. Under the seal surface adapter 10, the first leg 22comprises a first leg inner surface 32, the second leg comprises asecond leg inner surface 34, and the horizontal portion 26 comprises ahorizontal portion inner surface 36. Together, the inner surfaces 32,34, 36 are adjoining and form a channel 38 which, in cross-section, isconfigured roughly in the shape of an irregular polygon. Thiscross-section is so configured to accommodate a wide variety of mainflush valve orifice rims and to provide a self-centering structurerelative to such rims.

Referring now to FIG. 5, a cross-section of a first preferred embodimentof a combined flush valve and flapper valve, generally identified 50,with which the seal surface adapter 10 is used is shown. Two componentsare prominent: a flapper valve 52 and a flush valve 56 that the flappervalve 52 may be secured to. The flapper valve 52 covers the orifice 51of the flush valve 56. More specifically, the flapper valve 52 comprisesa rim 53 having an underside surface 54. This underside surface 54 isconfigured to sealingly engage the top rim 55 of the flush valve wall57, which is part of the flush valve 56. The flapper valve 52 (for allembodiments herein, including the seal counterpart for the tower orcanister style flush valve) is typically made of an elastomeric materialsuch as real or synthetic rubber having a suitable durometer orsoftness. In all preferred embodiments, the flapper may be comprised ofa real rubber material for suitable sealing with chemical resistance byvirtue of CHLORAZONE® additive (CHLORAZONE is a registered trademark ofLavelle Industries, Inc.).

Still referring to FIG. 5, and as is shown in relation to thisparticular embodiment, the horizontal portion inner surface 36 of theseal surface adapter 10 rests on the top rim 55 of the flush valve wall57. In turn, the underside surface 54 rests on the ridge 28 of the sealsurface adapter 10. More specifically, the top rim 55 is in contact withthe horizontal portion inner surface 36 of the seal surface adapter 10and is disposed more closely to the second leg 24 of the adapter 10. Asis shown in FIG. 10, it is to be appreciated that, prior to placement ofthe adapter 10 to the rim 55, a bead of adhesive 19 is applied to thechannel 38 of the seal surface adapter 10. Once application of the bead19 within the channel 38 is completed (by application in a full 360° ofthe adapter 10), the seal surface adapter 10 is then inverted and placedonto the top rim 55 of the flush valve wall 57, thereby creating acomplete and impervious seal about the top rim 55 when the adhesivecures sufficiently to provide a water barrier. This will be true foreach of the other embodiments illustrated herein and discussed below.The two lower illustrations shown in FIG. 5, which are fore and aftportions of the combined flush valve and flapper valve 550, demonstratehow the adapter 10 and adhesive 19 adhere to the top rim 55, with someamount of the adhesive 19 oozing out of the channel 38 on application.This illustrative pattern will be followed relative to FIGS. 6-9 aswell.

Referring to FIG. 6, it shows the cross section of another preferredembodiment of a combined flush valve and flapper valve, generallyidentified 60, with which the seal surface adapter 10 can be used.Again, two prominent components are the flapper valve 62 and the flushvalve 66. The flapper valve 62 covers the orifice 61 of the flush valve66. The flapper valve 62 comprises a rim 63 having an underside surface64. This underside surface 64 is configured to sealingly engage the toprim 65 of the flush valve wall 67, which is part of the flush valve 66.In this configuration, the top rim 65 is disposed more closely to thecenter 26 of the seal surface adapter 10. Any gaps formed between thetop rim 65 and the seal surface adapter 10 are filled with the adhesive19 as described above.

Referring now to FIG. 7, a cross-section of still another preferredembodiment of a combined flush valve and flapper valve, generallyidentified 70, with which the seal surface adapter 10 is used is shown.More specifically, a flapper valve 72 and a flush valve 76 that theflapper valve 72 may be rotatably secured to is shown. The flapper valve72 covers the orifice 71 of the flush valve 76. The flapper valve 72likewise comprises a rim 73 having an underside surface 74. Thisunderside surface 74 is configured to sealingly engage the top rim 75 ofthe flush valve wall 77, which is part of the flush valve 76. In thisconfiguration, the top rim 75 is disposed more closely to the first leg22 of the seal surface adapter 10. Any gaps formed between the top rim75 and the seal surface adapter 10 are filled with the adhesive 19 aswell.

FIG. 8 shows the cross-section of yet another preferred embodiment of acombined flush valve and flapper valve, generally identified 80, withwhich the seal surface adapter 10 is used. The combination comprises aflapper valve 82 and a flush valve 86 that the flapper valve 82 may besecured to. The flapper valve 82 covers the orifice 81 of the flushvalve 86. More specifically, the flapper valve 82 comprises a rim 83having an underside surface 84. This underside surface 84 is configuredto sealingly engage the top rim 85 of the flush valve wall 87, which ispart of the flush valve 86. In this configuration, the top rim 85 isdisposed more closely to the second leg 24 of the seal surface adapter10. Again, any gaps formed between the top rim 85 and the seal surfaceadapter 10 are filled with the adhesive 19 which, when cured, willprovide an impervious barrier to water leaking between the top rim 85and the seal surface adapter 10.

Referring lastly to FIG. 9, a cross-section of an exemplar tower styleflush valve assembly, generally identified 90, with which the sealsurface adapter 10 can be used is shown. This combination comprises aflush cover member 92 and a base member 96; the base member 96 furthercomprises a wall 97 and an orifice 91. The cover member 92 comprises aseal 93 having an underside surface 94. The underside surface 94 of theseal 93 covers the top rim 95 of the base member 96 when the tank isfilled or is filling with water. In this configuration, the top rim 95is disposed somewhat equally between the first leg 24 and the second leg22 of the seal surface adapter 10. Any gaps between the top rim and theseal surface adapter 10 are filled with the adhesive 19. As describedpreviously, the adhesive 19 will, when cured, provide an imperviousbarrier to water leaking between the top rim 95 and the seal surfaceadapter 10. The underside surface 94 of the seal 93 of the cover memberthus “sits” on the ridge 28 of the adapter 10 instead of on the rim 95.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A seal surface adapter for use with atoilet flush valve, comprising: a ring, wherein the ring is a rigidstructure that is configured to be positioned at a top of a rigid flushvalve wall of a toilet flush valve and the ring further comprises: abottom portion; a first leg, wherein the first leg extends upwardly fromthe bottom portion and further extends outwardly of the ring at a firstangle, the first angle being slightly away from vertical, a second leg,wherein the second leg extends upwardly from the bottom portion andfurther extends inwardly of the ring at a second angle away fromvertical, the second angle being substantially greater than that of thefirst angle; and a horizontal portion connecting the first leg and thesecond leg.
 2. The seal surface adapter of claim 1, further comprising aridge extending upwardly with respect to the horizontal portion, whereinthe ridge is configured to be a seat for a rim of an elastomeric flappervalve.
 3. The seal surface adapter of claim 1, wherein the ring furthercomprises: an inner perimeter; and an outer perimeter.
 4. The sealsurface adapter of claim 3, wherein: the inner perimeter is bounded bythe first leg; and the outer perimeter is bounded by the second leg. 5.The seal surface adapter of claim 1, wherein: the first leg furthercomprises a first leg inner surface; the second leg further comprises asecond leg inner surface; and the horizontal portion further comprises ahorizontal portion inner surface.
 6. The seal surface adapter of claim5, wherein: the first leg inner surface, the second leg inner surface,and the horizontal portion inner surface adjoin; and the adjoined innersurfaces form a channel, wherein the channel is configured to receive abead of adhesive to create an impervious water barrier between the ringand the top of the flush valve wall of the flush valve.
 7. The sealsurface adapter of claim 6, wherein the channel is configured in theshape of an irregular polygon.
 8. A seal surface adapter for use with atoilet flush valve, comprising: a rigid ring, wherein: the ringcomprising: an inner perimeter; and an outer perimeter; and the ring isconfigured to be positioned atop a rigid flush valve wall of a toiletflush valve, the ring further comprising: a bottom portion; a first leg,wherein: the first leg bounds the inner perimeter; the first leg extendsupwardly from the bottom portion; the first leg includes a first leginner surface; and the first leg is configured to be disposed to aninside of a cylindrical flush valve wall of a flush valve; a second leg,wherein: the second leg bounds the outer perimeter; the second legextends upwardly from the bottom portion; the second leg includes asecond leg inner surface; and the second leg is configured to bedisposed to the outside of the flush valve wall of the flush valve; anda horizontal portion disposed between the first leg and the second leg,wherein the horizontal portion further comprises a horizontal portioninner surface, wherein the first leg serves as a centering structure andthe second leg serves as an extension structure that allows the adapterto cover the top of the flush valve wall irrespective of the diameter ofthe flush valve wall.
 9. The seal surface adapter of claim 8, furthercomprising a channel, wherein: the channel is formed from the first leginner surface, the second leg inner surface, and the horizontal portioninner surface; and the channel is configured in the shape of anirregular polygon.
 10. The seal surface adapter of claim 9, wherein thechannel is configured to sealingly mate with a flush valve wall of atoilet flush valve.
 11. The seal surface adapter of claim 10, furthercomprising adhesive, wherein: the adhesive is placed within the channel;and the adhesive is to interact with the flush valve wall of the flushvalve when the apparatus is mated with the flush valve to create a waterbarrier.
 12. The seal surface adapter of claim 8, wherein the first legextends upwardly from the bottom portion at a first angle with respectto vertical.
 13. The seal surface adapter of claim 12, wherein the firstleg arches away from the bottom portion as it extends upwardly.
 14. Theseal surface adapter of claim 8, wherein: the second leg extendsupwardly from the bottom portion at a second angle with respect tovertical; and the second angle is greater than the first angle.
 15. Theseal surface adapter of claim 14, wherein the second leg extendsupwardly in a substantially linear fashion.
 16. The seal surface adapterof claim 2 wherein the top of the rigid flush valve wall of the toiletflush valve comprises a diameter and further comprises an innercylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface such that, when theadapter is placed over the top of the rigid flush valve wall, the firstleg seats inside the inner cylindrical surface and the second leg seatsoutside the outer cylindrical surface wherein the first leg serves as acentering structure and the second leg serves as an extension structurethat allows the adapter to cover the top of the flush valve wallirrespective of the diameter of the flush valve wall.
 17. The sealsurface adapter of claim 2 wherein the top of the rigid flush valve wallof the toilet flush valve comprises a diameter and further comprises aninner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface such that,when the adapter is placed over the top of the rigid flush valve wall,the first leg seats inside the inner cylindrical surface and the secondleg seats outside the outer cylindrical surface wherein the first legserves as a centering structure and the second leg serves as a reachingstructure that allows the adapter to extend outwardly and beyond theflush valve wall of the toilet flush valve so as to cover the top of theflush valve wall irrespective of the diameter of the flush valve wall.